Page 70 of The Import Slot
“I walked into the bar, and there’s Bettsy and Danny, sitting there with a pint! It took me by surprise, so I just said, ‘Hey Danny, how’re things?’ like I’d bumped into him in bloody Tesco! I even went home with the guy but couldn’t go through with it.” She takes a drink. “Then I came to yours last night, but you weren’t there. Where were you?”
I flame red. “Ryan’s,” I say. “But only because my bed isn’t coming until today. Don’t change the subject.”
“I’m not changing the subject. It’s nice to hear that you’re cracking on. You may as well make the most before he goes back to Canada, assuming he gets re-signed. Danny reckons that time out of the league can be detrimental,” she says.
“Well, I asked him why he would ever give up his career, and he insists it’s just on hold.”
“Is it though?”
“I guess? He said he feels like he owes his brother since Liam always lived in his shadow.” I mull over this a bit. I guess it takes a special relationship to want to do something that serious.
“By the way, I’m not going tomorrow. Danny can suck it if he thinks I’m driving all that way and back.” Shit. That means I won’t be going either. I can’t make a round trip alone.
“I guess my Sunday has just cleared up then.”
“I won’t be there tonight either,” she says as we head out. “Jen, I know I encouraged you to crack on with Ryan before, but honestly, it’s not worth feeling like this. Once you catch feelings, it’ll be even worse.”
I don’t respond, afraid of saying something I’ll regret. I’m at a loss between what she’s said and what I overheard earlier.
Why do feelings have to complicate things?
We say goodbye on the street outside just as Vicky stops in front of me, holding a bag of shopping.
“Oh, Jen! Are you heading home? I’ll walk with you.”
She’s smiley, as usual, and if I’m honest, I’m too emotionally exhausted for this. Still, I don’t see a nice way of saying, ‘Can I be left the fuck alone, please?’ so I agree.
She chats about Ladies’ Night and how excited the guys are and then tells me that Lisa, who’s helping with the events management, has a bit of a challenge on her hands.
“People will pay more for a seat at Ryan’s table. He’s the hot topic this year, which makes a pleasant change from Johnny,” she smiles. “It’s so weird. Johnny and I are quite charismatic, which is odd because we have hardly anything else in common. I guess it’s similar to that with Liam and Ryan, though being twins, you’d think they’d have a lot more in common. It’s only really hockey and DNA.”
She’s never mentioned Liam to me before, so I find this intriguing. It seems like an odd thing to say, but maybe she’s trying to weave him into our conversation, so I bite.
“How well do you know Liam then?” I ask, feigning ignorance.
“Oh, that’s a loaded question. We spent a lot of time together when he, Johnny, and Ryan hung out as kids. Johnny and Ryan used to spend all their free time practising, even just playing street hockey, but often Liam and I would hang out or whatever. Then we went to the same college. He’d been at Boston for a year before I went.” That sounds similar to what Ryan has said.
Vicky sighs, pressing the button on the toucan crossing. “Honestly, Jen. I thought we’d end up married or something. It was all quite intense. Silly, really,” she laughs, but it’s the type of laugh that’s full of sorrow. She shakes her head. “Anyway, what time will you get there tomorrow? I hope you can help me get some content of the guys arriving off the coach. They have new tracksuit things that the GM wants me to show off.”
“I can’t go tomorrow,” I say. “Becca isn’t going, and it’ll be too much for me to do alone on a work night.”
“Why didn’t you say before? You can come on the coach,” she says. “I’ll clear it, and then we get a later start on Monday.” She looks excited as she pulls her phone out, mumbling about having someone to sit with.
We’re almost back at the apartment building when my phone vibrates. It’s a text about my bed delivery.
“Crap,” I say to Vicky. “My bed is going to be late. Looks like I’ll have to miss tonight’s game.”
“I’ll keep you updated on Twitter,” Vicky says, then her face changes, and I hear her whisper under her breath. “Dammit. I do not have the energy for this right now.”
“What?” I say, following her eyes. Ryan and Johnny are standing between our buildings, kicking a football between them. I don’t have the energy either, but there’s no way they won’t see us.
Chapter 20
Ryan
“Youokay,pal?”Johnnyasks as we kick the ball back and forth.
“I’ve had better days,” I say, sending it sailing back to Johnny.
